THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The state government will introduce the contentious Lok Ayukta (Amendment) Bill, which aims to curtail the powers of the anti-corruption ombudsman, in the assembly on Tuesday with a major change.
The assembly will now be proposed as the competent authority to take a call on accepting or rejecting the Lok Ayuka’s verdict against the chief minister. The decision to add the new clauses was taken at the CPM-CPI bilateral talks, called after CPI objected to the Kerala Lok Ayukta (Amendment) Bill-2022 in present form. It was against vesting the power to review the ombudsman’s decisions solely on the CM.
“Such clauses are part of the model bill passed by the Parliament and will make the legislation more democratic. The suggestions and new amendments should stay transparent,” said a senior Left leader. Sources said the bill will propose entrusting the assembly with the power to review the Lok Ayukta’s verdicts related to the CM, while the latter will decide on verdicts involving ministers. The bill will empower the speaker to take a call on verdicts concerning MLAs.
Getting guv nod for legislation won’t be easy
After it is tabled, the bill is likely to be referred to the subject committee, which in all likelihood will convene in the evening to examine it. CPI’s proposal on the latest changes will be moved as an official amendment at this meet.
The bill will come up before the house again on Wednesday with the subject committee’s approval. Further discussions will be held next week. It is expected that the UDF will raise several objections against the bill as well as its new clauses. Moreover, with such changes in the bill from the earlier ordinance, getting the governor’s nod for new legislation will not be an easy task. The new bill with the changes suggested by CPI is a major deviation from the Lok Ayukta (Amendment) Ordinance-2022 that was passed by the cabinet.